1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus and brew element for rapidly brewing tea.
2. The Related Art
Tea is much more sensitive to brewing than coffee. Extended steeping in water often ruins the beverage. Too short steeping times result in too dilute a drink. Optimum steeping time is between 3 and 5 minutes.
Netherlands patent application 7807403 discloses a filter device for making tea comprising a filter vessel with siphoning mechanism for discharge of the tea brewed in the vessel. The siphoning means includes an outlet pipe which extends upward from the bottom of the filter vessel and a sleeve which surrounds the pipe. A passage for liquid is formed between the pipe and sleeve. An upper end of the sleeve is closed while a lower portion is formed with inlet apertures. The negative feature of this device is that the siphoning ceases at the instant the falling level of liquid in the filter vessel reaches the inlet apertures. Thereupon an air bubble is normally drawn into the siphoning means through the apertures. When water is next supplied to the filter vessel, the siphoning will not begin again until the liquid level reaches the upper edge of the outlet pipe.
An improvement of this basic concept is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,467 (Siemensma). Tea leaves are placed in a bowl having an outlet aperture formed in its bottom for discharge of brewed tea. An outlet tube communicates with the outlet aperture and extends upwardly from the bottom of the bowl. A sleeve surrounds the outlet tube with a space between them providing an annular siphon passageway. The upper end of the sleeve is closed while the lower end rests on the bowl bottom. Capillary inlet apertures are formed in the lower portion of the sleeve. As the liquid level falls in the bowl, the static pressure of the liquid retained in the annular siphon passageway is balanced by the capillary pressure of the retained liquid in the capillary inlet apertures. Passage of airway bubbles through the capillary inlet apertures is thereby prevented. Upon addition of further liquid to the bowl, the siphoning operation immediately resumes.
While the siphon arrangement in U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,467 significantly advances the art, the device is still subject to certain problems. Tea placed within the bowl for brewing can migrate to the capillaries. Particles of tea can then occlude the capillary inlet apertures interfering with siphoning. Sometimes relatively small particles can be swept through the capillary inlets with eventual siphoning into the consumer's brew. Of course, these particles in the brewed product are aesthetically and taste-wise undesirable.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a brewing apparatus allowing for tea to steep in its optimal range of from 3 to 5 minutes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a brewing apparatus whose function is unimpaired by tea particle interference in the brewing mechanisms.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a brewing apparatus for loose (bag-less) brewing to achieve zestiness and body unachievable through extraction of bagged tea.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a brewing apparatus based on a user friendly system no longer requiring laborious cleaning of tea particles from a basket between subsequent brew batches.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a brewing apparatus which can deliver not only hot but iced tea directly from a brewed batch.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following summary, drawings and detailed description.